Higher Education and Research Bill — Clause 95 — Secretary of State's Power to Give Directions Related to Research Funding — 21 Nov 2016 at 21:06

Oliver Letwin MP, West Dorset voted against requiring the Secretary of State to consult with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland devolved administrations before giving directions to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the body which distributes £6m of public research and innovation funding.

The majority of MPs voted against requiring the Secretary of State to consult with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland devolved administrations before giving directions to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the body which distributes £6m of public research and innovation funding.

“(6) In giving direction to UKRI, the Secretary of State must act in the best interests of all constituent parts of the United Kingdom and, before giving such direction, must consult on research and innovation policies and their priorities with the following—

(a) the Scottish Government,

(b) the Welsh Government, and

(c) the Northern Ireland Executive.

(7) Before giving any direction to UKRI under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must seek agreement to the terms of that direction from—

(a) the Scottish Government,

(b) the Welsh Government, and

(c) the Northern Ireland Executive.”

The rejected amendment was accompanied by the following explanatory note:

This amendment would place a duty on the Secretary of State such that before giving directions to the UKRI in regards to research priorities, the Secretary of State must consult the devolved administrations.

Clause 95 of the Bill as at the time of the vote began:

The Secretary of State may give UKRI directions about the allocation or

expenditure by UKRI of grants ...

The rejected amendment would have added the additional subclauses relating to such directions.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) replaces the Research Councils and also takes on Innovate UK and the research funding from Higher Education Funding Council for England.[3]

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